Strange New World
by Reese1
Summary: Scarlett finds herself in a parallel world.
1. The Hurting

Cobra Headquarters  
  
Snickering out loud with unfettered contempt, Cobra Commander rose from his seat at the head of the long mahogany conference table and asked Destro to clarify his latest plan to destroy G.I. Joe and conquer the world.  
  
"It's very simple, Cobra Commander," Destro said disdainfully. The Baroness, Tomax, Xamot, Zartan, Major Bludd, and Scrap Iron also listened attentively.  
  
Destro's lack of respect for Cobra Commander's feeble intellect was painfully obvious to everyone present. He produced a remote control and flicked a switch. On the flat screen television monitor, an image of a bearded Mr. Spock from the episode "Mirror, Mirror" of Star Trek filled the screen.  
  
"Everyone is familiar with the concept of parallel universes. For every universe, there exists a parallel one in which circumstances and events are different. We know that nothing is predetermined. Everything that happens is a result of chance. For every event that occurs, there are a trillion billion alternate possibilities. You could conceivably calculate the result of all these different probabilities compounded upon each other as you go through your individual life. The results are astronomical. There may be a parallel universe in existence in which some of us are actually decent, loving, good hearted human beings."  
  
"That would be the day," the Baroness said with a scornful laugh.  
  
Destro pressed another button and the image changed to that of a large cannon-like device. It was constructed of shiny steel and contained a multitude of switches and panels.  
  
"This machine is the answer to our wildest dreams," Destro said. "I propose we use this device to blast all of G.I. Joe into an alternate universe. This will essentially free us to do anything we want with this world, unhindered by Joe interference. The world will be ours!"  
  
Destro shook his metallic fist for emphasis and took his seat.  
  
"I hope this contraption of yours works," Cobra Commander hissed threateningly. "Otherwise it will be your tin head! We will test the machine in 24 hours."  
  
The Baroness, seated next to Destro, placed a hand on his thigh.  
  
"That is a most ingenious plot," she purred heavily, her voice thick with desire, her hand moving up his thigh to rest on his crotch.  
  
"Thank you, my dear Baroness," Destro said as everyone got up to leave.  
  
"Would you like to tell me more about it in my bedroom?" the Baroness asked.  
  
"My dear Baroness, circumstances being what they are--Oh hell yeah," Destro said as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist.  
  
* * *  
  
G.I. Joe Headquarters  
  
Christmas Day  
  
Taking a break from saving the world from evil terrorists, the G.I. Joe team gathered together at Joe Headquarters to celebrate another Christmas together. No Christmas at the Joe Headquarters would be complete without a full course Christmas feast prepared by Roadblock.  
  
Scarlett and Duke walked arm in arm down the hallway toward the mess hall.  
  
"Duke," Scarlett said with a smile, "Thank you for saving me from Cobra Commander the other day. Why, if you hadn't heroically intervened at the last minute, single handedly, guns blazing like fucking John Wayne, I would surely have been tortured, raped, beaten senseless, and vaporized. I owe you everything."  
  
"I would do anything for you. I would fight for you, lie for you, walk the wire for you, yeah, I'd die for you. You know that," Duke said as he gently pulled Scarlett into a darkened side hall.  
  
Scarlett felt her heart come to a stop as she backed up against the wall and Duke caressed her cheek with his right hand.  
  
Their relationship had been building up to this point for years. For years, Scarlett and Duke were inseparable. They did everything together. They fought together, ate together, worked out together, went out to movies together. The only thing they hadn't done yet was sleep together. Scarlett knew she would not allow their relationship to cross that line until she was absolutely sure that Duke truly was the man of her dreams.  
  
Was Duke "the one?" Scarlett often pondered the question to herself. She lay awake at night, staring at her ceiling, thinking about her dreams and her loves. There was no question that Duke was an all-American stud muffin. He was tall, blond, handsome, and buff. Duke was a real leader of men and there was nothing he wouldn't sacrifice on her behalf.  
  
Still, there was something about this relationship that bothered her. Scarlett couldn't quite put her finger on it; it was just beyond the grasp of her understanding. Something was missing. After so many years of feeling lonely, Scarlett felt happy and content to know that there was someone who genuinely admired her and enjoyed her company. She was glad to have someone she could trust. But was that enough?  
  
Scarlett hardly felt herself breathe as Duke's face drew ever closer to hers. They had never kissed on the lips before.  
  
"We don't have a mistletoe," Scarlett said with a nervous laugh.  
  
"Aw, Shana, the hell with the mistletoe," Duke replied as their lips touched. Scarlett's face flushed, inflamed, as she felt her own lips responding automatically to Duke's. The kissed deepened, and Scarlett dropped her bag of presents to the floor as she wrapped her arms around Duke's neck.  
  
No. It was too much. Scarlett began gently pushing Duke away.  
  
"Conrad, please," she whispered, breathless. She felt confused.  
  
"I'm sorry. Guess I don't know what got into me. Are you all right?"  
  
Duke took out a tissue and wiped Scarlett's lipstick off of his mouth.  
  
"Yeah. Ready, Duke?"  
  
Scarlett held out her arm and her warm smile had lost none of her affection for him. Duke smiled back at her, took her arm, and they proceeded to the party.  
  
The Mess Hall  
  
"Oh yeah baby it's party time!!!" Shipwreck cried out jubilantly.  
  
"Parrrr-tayyyy! Parrrr-tayyy!" Polly the parrot squawked as she flew around the room and came to rest on Shipwreck's shoulder.  
  
"Yo wassup Roadblock my man!" Shipwreck sidled up to Roadblock as the Joes lined up to fill their plates with the chef's sumptuous food.  
  
Scarlett walked in with Duke. Most of the Joes were already present, engaged in boisterous conversation.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Scarlett and Duke!" Breaker waved at them as he blew a bubble with his bubble gum, before taking a seat with a plate full of food.  
  
Soon, everyone in the mess hall had their food and they were seated. General Hawk stood up with a glass of wine and wished the Joes a Merry Christmas. He raised his glass in a toast, and everyone heartily joined him.  
  
Scarlett and Duke were joined at their table by Flint, Lady Jaye, Rock n' Roll, Stalker, Ace, and Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes was sitting next to Scarlett.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Snake Eyes," Scarlett said to him with her sweet smile.  
  
Snake Eyes nodded. His mask was pulled up just enough to expose his mouth so he could eat. Come to think of it, Scarlett did not think she had ever seen Snake Eyes without his mask on. She heard he had gotten scarred in some battle long ago, but she had never really bothered to find out more about the details of what had happened in Snake Eyes' life.  
  
In sign language, he asked her about her family back in Atlanta.  
  
"Oh, they're fine, thank you," Scarlett said. "My brothers and my father are all doing great. My sister, too… I guess."  
  
Snake Eyes signed her another question. It had something to do with the mission that Scarlett had completed the other day.  
  
"Uh, yeah," Scarlett said, not sure what the question was, or whether she had even given an appropriate response.  
  
Snake Eyes said something more in sign language. Once again, Scarlett failed to completely understand him. She had only learned enough sign language to communicate in the most rudimentary terms with Snake Eyes. Stuff like where to go, what to do, let's go kill some Cobra, basic elementary fundamentals like that. The rest of the time, she mostly fudged it and pretended to understand what Snake Eyes was saying, and up till now, she'd had Snake Eyes convinced. It was actually a minor point of embarrassment to her, a trained counter intelligence specialist, that she who was an "expert" in decoding enemy signals could not even competently decode the signals coming from her own trusted teammate.  
  
"Um, sure," Scarlett said.  
  
Snake Eyes gave her a blank stare.  
  
Finally Scarlett had to confess.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to tell me. I hate to admit to you that my sign language skills really suck. I'm sorry, Snake Eyes."  
  
Scarlett saw the corners of Snake Eyes' scarred mouth curl into a slight frown and his eyes lowered from hers. He waved his hand to signal that it was okay, no big deal.  
  
Scarlett turned back to her own food. She silently said grace before digging in. The food was excellent, but Scarlett ate with little enthusiasm. She had never seen Snake Eyes so hurt and disappointed by her, and it bothered her.  
  
"You okay, honey? You looked concerned."  
  
Scarlett looked up to see Lady Jaye looking at her from across the dining table.  
  
"Of course," Scarlett said, forcing a smile.  
  
In all of their experience together, Scarlett and Snake Eyes had never really interacted in social situations. In the heat of battle, it was easy to communicate. Scarlett would give Snake Eyes some orders, point him in the right direction, and Snake Eyes would nod and give a thumbs up. They never had to talk about abstract things like their personal or family lives. They never spoke to each other about the feelings in their hearts. As Scarlett silently ate her food, oblivious to the conversation around her, she wondered why she had never taken the trouble to learn how to communicate better with Snake Eyes. After searching her thoughts and memories, it became apparent to Scarlett that she had been so wrapped up with her handsome boyfriend, that she had been neglecting her friendship with Snake Eyes. Her laziness and uncharacteristic lack of consideration toward Snake Eyes made her feel very guilty.  
  
Dinner was over, and Rock n' Roll, who had appointed himself deejay, put on an LP. Within moments, the lights dimmed and dance music came on the speakers. The Joes eagerly worked to move all the tables to the side of the room as people began to dance.  
  
"Come on Cover Girl, let's get our groove on," Shipwreck shouted to Cover Girl as he took her by the hands to lead her out to the dance floor.  
  
"Okay," Cover Girl said sweetly, "but don't get any funny ideas!"  
  
The other Joes, many of whom had brought dates, began dancing.  
  
Scarlett and Duke danced together, as well as Lady Jaye and Flint.  
  
"That's funny," Stalker said, moving up to Scarlett, "Snake Eyes isn't dancing. Usually he's a dancing freak. That man has got some moves! Wonder if there's anything bothering him."  
  
"Yeah," Scarlett said in a dull voice as she glanced at Snake Eyes.  
  
A slow song came on, and Duke pulled Scarlett into his arms. Soon they were moving as one with the music. It was a soothing feeling, being in Duke's arms. But the sight of Snake Eyes sitting alone and unhappy unsettled Scarlett greatly.  
  
Throughout the song, Scarlett rested her head near Duke's shoulder. Over Duke's shoulder, Scarlett observed Snake Eyes furtively, never letting her eyes stay on him for too long, never letting him suspect that she was watching him. He sat there with his mask on in the darkness, which seemed to magnify the dark mystery of this strange loner's life.  
  
How will I make it up to him? Scarlett turned this thought over and over in her mind as she danced with Duke.  
  
Scarlett returned her gaze to Snake Eyes but he was no longer there. Scarlett's eyes moved quickly around the room, scanning for any sign of Snake Eyes, but the stealthy commando was no where to be found. He had suddenly vanished.  
  
The slow song came to an end, and Scarlett excused herself from Duke. No one in the room had seen Snake Eyes leave.  
  
"Guess he didn't want to talk to anyone today," Stalker said.  
  
Scarlett left the room and ran down the main corridor, stopping momentarily at each side hall to see if she could spot Snake Eyes.  
  
On a hunch, Scarlett decided to take the elevator to the roof. A large helicopter pad dominated the roof, which was surrounded by a rail. Some of the Joes had taken it upon themselves to decorate the roof with a long string of Christmas lights.  
  
A lone figure, dressed in darkness, stood at the forward end of the roof, gazing out into the crystal clear night sky. The green, red, yellow, and blue lights lent Snake Eyes' figure a strange, ethereal glow. He shuddered as Scarlett approached, knowing it was her even without turning around. He had an unusual sixth sense in that way, Scarlett knew.  
  
"It's a beautiful night," Scarlett said, trying to strike up a friendly conversation. She drew up alongside Snake Eyes and joined him in observing the milky starlit sky. To Scarlett, the sky appeared as if God Himself had taken a wet paintbrush, dipped it in white paint, and then flicked it multiple times upon the broad canvas of space.  
  
Snake Eyes said nothing, refusing to even look at her. Scarlett wondered if he was angry with her.  
  
"Snake Eyes, I really am sorry. I've been a terrible friend to you over the last couple of years. The last thing I want to do is hurt your feelings. I want to make it up to you somehow."  
  
Snake Eyes turned to face her. He said nothing.  
  
"Won't you show me a way?"  
  
Scarlett's voice resounded in the still of the night. Together, the two of them stood on the roof until Scarlett forgot how long she had been standing there and had lost track of the passage of time. She might as well have been standing there alone.  
  
* * *  
  
December 26  
  
The two Sky Strikers soared above the plains and rivers of the American midwest region on a patrol. Scarlett piloted on jet, while Ace was in the other.  
  
"We've got some reports of an unusual electromagnetic disturbance in this area," Duke said to Scarlett over the radio from Headquarters.  
  
"Roger that," Scarlett replied, toggling a switch.  
  
"Say there, Duke," Scarlett said, "you got plans for tonight?"  
  
"Not really," Duke said. "What you got in mind?"  
  
"Dinner and a movie?"  
  
"Sounds good to me," Duke said.  
  
"People, please," Ace said in a tone of mock reprobation. "This is an open channel."  
  
Meanwhile, at that moment, Destro and Cobra Commander were busy preparing their test of Destro's new device.  
  
"Ahhh," Cobra Commander hissed with pleasure, "Scarlett is flying above us in her Sky Striker. Revenge will be mine."  
  
Destro rapidly activated a sequence of switches and the giant cannon initiated its final firing sequence. A targeting grid appeared in the computer monitor and Destro locked onto the position occupied by Scarlett's jet, on Cobra Commander's orders.  
  
"Won't Duke be upset when we zap that bitch Scarlett into an alternate dimension. Next time she'll think twice before spurning my sexual advances."  
  
Baroness purred, "Beautiful," as she came up and took Destro's arm. Together, the Cobra leaders watched in rapt attention as the rays of energy came pouring out of the machine's cannon. Within milliseconds, a burst of electromagnetic energy shot into the clear blue sky.  
  
"Scarlett, beautiful and proud Scarlett, your red head burns into my soul, I damn you, you miserable wench! Go forth into the fiery pits of alternate universe oblivion. Ah, ha, ha, HA, HAAA!!!"  
  
A huge, bright, and blinding distortion of space appeared in front of Scarlett's Sky Striker. It was an amorphous blob of many colors.  
  
"What the hell?" Scarlett said, alarmed.  
  
"Scarlett, evasive action! Get out of there!" Ace cried out over the radio.  
  
Before Scarlett could react, the rift in space consumed both her and her plane, and everything went dark. 


	2. A Lost Soul

"Scarlett, are you okay?"  
  
Scarlett heard Ace's voice over the comm channel and tapped her helmet with her fingers, feeling profoundly disoriented. She shook her head, as if her mind was stuck in a cloud and she desperately wanted to escape from it. Wasn't there some kind of electromagnetic disturbance that she had just flown through?  
  
"I'm fine," Scarlett said numbly.  
  
Then: "Where are we, Ace?"  
  
"Where are we? Jesus Christ! Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"There was some kind of electromagnetic disturbance. I flew through it. Didn't you see it?"  
  
"Uh, we're just on a routine patrol. We had some unconfirmed reports of Cobra weapons being transported through this region. I have no idea what is this electromagnetic disturbance you're talking about."  
  
"Oh." Scarlett looked at the digital clock that was displayed by the Sky Striker's computer.  
  
"Today's the 26th of December, right Ace?"  
  
"Yeah, I should hope so."  
  
Duke's face appeared on Scarlett's monitor. He looked different somehow. He looked more hard-edged, not the same transparent, dreamy eyed wonder boy who dreamed of her night and day. Scarlett tried to read Duke's facial expression, but her scrutiny yielded nothing.  
  
"Return home, Scarlett and Ace. Duke over and out."  
  
"Roger, Duke," Ace said.  
  
"Roger," Scarlett said.  
  
Back at the Pit, Ace ran up to Scarlett as they departed from their Sky Strikers and headed for their quarters.  
  
"Scarlett!"  
  
He caught up with her and grabbed her by the shoulder.  
  
"Scarlett, wait."  
  
Scarlett turned around to face Ace, who was out of breath from chasing after her. The landing strip was a flurry of activity as mechanics and hanger bay crewmen ran out to the planes to taxi them to their resting area.  
  
"You acted really strange out there. What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know," Scarlett said, looking down for a moment. Her fiery hair fluttered in the wind as the setting sun transformed the sky into streaks of violet and orange. The sun lent a weak orange hue to their figures while sweeping the ground beneath their feet with shadow.  
  
"Things were going just fine today until you forgot where you were and what day it was. You never forget things like this. You're one of the steadiest, most reliable soldiers I know, Scarlett. You never lose track of anything."  
  
"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything," Scarlett said with a sardonic smile.  
  
Ace looked toward the elevator that would take them into the depths of their base where their quarters lay. He grinned and waved.  
  
"Let's not keep Snake Eyes waiting, shall we?"  
  
"Snake Eyes?" Scarlett said.  
  
She turned and followed Ace's gaze to the elevator, where Snake Eyes stood waiting patiently, his hands behind his back, his head bowed in deference.  
  
What the hell did Snake Eyes have to do with any of this?  
  
The three of them took the elevator down into the Pit, none of them saying a word. Scarlett found herself periodically glancing at Snake Eyes, whose eyes remained staring straight ahead.  
  
"See you two later," Ace said as he walked off in a different direction once the lift had made its stop.  
  
Snake Eyes looked into Scarlett's eyes. Scarlett's breath caught in her throat as Snake Eyes reached with his ungloved hand and took her gloved hand in his. He did it with such an air of familiarity and affection, all the while his probing gaze never leaving her face, that Scarlett felt herself at a loss.  
  
Ace's attitude toward her and Snake Eyes, the way he treated them like a couple, the way Snake Eyes now held her hand, it all added up to one unmistakable fact.  
  
She and Snake Eyes were together.  
  
Still holding her by the hand, Snake Eyes said something to her in sign language. Scarlett had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
"Listen, Snake Eyes, I hate to be rude, but would you please excuse me? I promise I'll stop by your place later tonight to see you. Is that okay?"  
  
Snake Eyes nodded. Scarlett smiled at him as she walked away from Snake Eyes and headed down a long corridor. When she was out of Snake Eyes' line of sight, she began running.  
  
There was only one person Scarlett could think of who could help her sort out this horrible mess she found herself in. Someone she could count on to be at her side always, someone who would never let her down or disappoint her. Someone she could trust.  
  
Scarlett knocked on the office door that belonged to Duke.  
  
"Come in," Duke said from inside his office.  
  
"Hello Duke," Scarlett said as she hesitantly walked in.  
  
"Oh, hi Scarlett. What can I do for you?"  
  
Duke held a report in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He nonchalantly took a sip.  
  
"Duke, are we still on for tonight?"  
  
Duke's eyes went wide and looked as if they would bug out of his head. He spewed coffee out of his mouth.  
  
"Fuck!" Duke cursed under his breath as he gazed with dismay at the brown stains on the report and on his desk.  
  
"What did you say?" Duke said, his voice one of utter astonishment.  
  
"Uh, we were going to go out for dinner and a movie, weren't we? Remember, I asked you while I was flying on patrol."  
  
"Funny, I don't recall that. I think I would if you had."  
  
"Come on Duke. Don't do this to me. What kind of joke are you guys all pulling on me?"  
  
"It's no joke, Scarlett. Does Snake Eyes know about this?"  
  
"There it is again. Snake Eyes. I'm hearing his name constantly now. Suddenly Snake Eyes and I are an 'item.' What kind of shit is this?! Since when are Snake Eyes and I together?"  
  
"Well, since before I came to the Joes, Scarlett. Since the day you and Snake Eyes first met."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you sure you're all right? I can call Doc over to examine you. Take it easy."  
  
"Like hell!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Are you serious? You really don't care for me?"  
  
"Listen, Scarlett, let's get one thing straight. You're a beautiful, sexy woman. You're a loyal and courageous friend, and I like you. More than that, I respect you. But there is no 'you and me,' there never has been. I'm sure it would be nice, but I'm sorry to disappoint you. We rarely do anything together off duty. I don't think we ever stopped to share a cup of coffee. As a matter of fact, I think this must be our first private off duty conversation in two months."  
  
"You once told me you would fight for me, lie for me, walk the wire for me, and die for me."  
  
"I said that?" Duke gave her a puzzled look, before breaking out in laughter.  
  
"No offense to you, Scarlett, you're a very attractive woman, but I'm incapable of saying something so incredibly corny."  
  
"Yeah," Scarlett said sheepishly, her face turning a bright red to match the color of her hair. "I guess it is pretty lame, isn't it?"  
  
Clearly, Scarlett was getting no where. Duke was acting the same way Ace and Snake Eyes were acting toward her: out of the ordinary. What was going on? Either this was some kind of massive conspiracy, some kind of cruel joke, or it was she who was out of the ordinary.  
  
I flew through a giant blob of color, a distortion in the earth's electromagnetic field, Scarlett pondered to herself as she walked away from Duke's office and toward Snake Eyes' quarters. What happened after that?  
  
It's like I'm in the Twilight Zone or something.  
  
What kind of strange world do I find myself in?  
  
* * *  
  
As Scarlett walked toward the barracks, she spotted an old friend whom she had not seen in many months, leaning on a Mauler tank, enjoying a beer. He was greasy and dirty from the grime of the motor vehicle engines he had been working on with his pal Clutch, here in the motor pool.  
  
"Steeler?"  
  
The tall, blond haired young man looked up immediately upon hearing Scarlett's voice.  
  
"Is that you, Steeler?"  
  
"Well, if it isn't lovely Miss Scarlett," Steeler said, getting up and bowing to her chivalrously.  
  
Scarlett walked closer to him and looked at him closely. Steeler's amused pleasure at seeing Scarlett under these circumstances soon turned to disturbed curiosity.  
  
"Why are you looking at me so funny? It's just me, your chauvinist pig, remember?"  
  
"How did you get back?"  
  
"How did I get back? Scarlett, what in the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"You and Grunt stayed behind in that parallel universe to help the Baroness fight Cobra. You stayed behind to be with the Baroness, remember? At least that's what Flint said in his report."  
  
Scarlett was confused. She never thought she would see Steeler again. Was Flint somehow mistaken when he submitted his report of that legendary mission?  
  
Steeler downed his can of beer shotgun style, went over to the water faucet, wet his hands, and wiped the grease off with a rag.  
  
"What the fuck are you smoking, Scarlett?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Whatever it is, can I have some?"  
  
"You mean to say you were never in that parallel world in which Cobra defeated G.I. Joe and conquered the world? I always thought it was such an incredible story."  
  
"Listen, honey, I never been to no parallel world. Last I heard, Grunt left G.I. Joe to go to college and become an engineer. And finally, I have never 'been with' the Baroness, although I gotta admit, she is a babe. There's no doubt about it. She's got that hot body, those luscious lips, that long black hair, those glasses. What I wouldn't give to strip off that tight fitting outfit of hers and suck on her—"  
  
Steeler stopped himself. He didn't want to offend Scarlett with his prurient language, but he had to admit the thought of fucking the Baroness was really turning him on. He began breathing more rapidly, and his pulse quickened.  
  
"Oooh," Steeler moaned as he continued his erotic daydream, his eyes half closed.  
  
"Uh, thanks Steeler, if you'll excuse me—"  
  
"No problem, Scarlett. Hey thanks for stopping by. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll have to try to figure out how to seduce the Baroness now. Do you know how I can get her to leave that fucker Destro and come to papa?"  
  
Steeler punctuated that last statement with a suggestive thrust of his hips.  
  
"Sorry, Steeler, I have no clue. Maybe she's naturally attracted to jerks."  
  
Steeler smiled ironically.  
  
"Ah, that's more like the Scarlett I know and love. I'll take that under advisement. You be a good girl now and go home to Snake Eyes."  
  
* * *  
  
When Scarlett reached Snake Eyes' quarters, the door opened and Snake Eyes stood there in the doorway, watching her expectantly. He said something to her in sign language.  
  
"I'm sorry, Snake Eyes, I don't understand your sign language."  
  
Snake Eyes stepped back, completely taken aback by Scarlett's words. He signed something else, before catching himself. Holding up a finger, signaling Scarlett to wait, Snake Eyes walked back into his room. He turned and motioned for Scarlett to follow. It was the first time Scarlett had seen Snake Eyes' room. Snake Eyes' accommodations were quite simple and austere. The furnishings consisted of a bed and a couch, the walls were bare, and there was no decoration in sight other than an old, framed, color photo of Snake Eyes and Scarlett together.  
  
Scarlett narrowed her eyes in curiosity and drew closer to inspect the picture. She did not recognize it. In it, a smiling, blond young man had his arm draped around Scarlett's shoulder. Scarlett realized that this must be Snake Eyes.  
  
So this is what Snake Eyes looks like without his mask, Scarlett pondered to herself. He was actually quite good looking. They both looked so young and happy, so very much in love.  
  
Snake Eyes lightly tapped Scarlett on the shoulder. Scarlett turned and saw him holding up a pad and pencil. He was going to communicate with her through writing.  
  
On the writing pad, Snake Eyes had written the words, "How come?"  
  
"I know a little but I never became fluent. I guess I've been lazy."  
  
Snake Eyes rapidly wrote his responses to Scarlett's words.  
  
"But I speak to you in sign language all the time."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes," Snake Eyes wrote. "Shana. What's wrong?"  
  
Shana. It was very odd for Snake Eyes to be addressing her by her real name. Apparently the two of them really were on intimate terms, Scarlett reflected.  
  
"You won't believe me if I told you," Scarlett said.  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Something happened to me while I was out on patrol. I flew into a strange electromagnetic field. I think it must have been some weird gateway to a parallel world. Where I come from, Steeler is gone. Duke is my boyfriend. And I can't understand sign language well. But now my whole world seems to have turned upside down."  
  
Scarlett put her hand on Snake Eyes' hand.  
  
"Help me, Snake Eyes. I don't know who to turn to. No one understands what's happened to me."  
  
Snake Eyes gazed into her eyes. Slowly, he reached out with his hands and gingerly placed them on the sides of her face. Drawing closer, Snake Eyes looked closely at Scarlett's head, examining it. Scarlett, utterly confused, had no idea what he was doing.  
  
"Snake Eyes, what are you looking for?"  
  
"You have the scar," Snake Eyes wrote.  
  
"The scar? What scar?" Scarlett said. She felt a chill running through her body.  
  
"The scar from the time when the Baroness shot you in the head."  
  
"Funny, I don't remember that ever happening. I think I would remember getting shot in the head, don't you think? In fact, where I come from, no one gets seriously hurt or killed, ever. Pretty amazing, when you think about it."  
  
"It IS you," Snake Eyes wrote. "You are Shana in body but not in soul."  
  
Scarlett stopped to ponder that thought. That was a very abstract thing for Snake Eyes to say to her. She never knew Snake Eyes was such a deep thinking, soulful person. Could what he be saying be true? Was she really a lost soul, trapped in another Shana O'Hara's body?  
  
* * *  
  
Stalker, Scarlett, and Snake Eyes sat together at a table in the mess hall.  
  
"Snake Eyes here has been telling me about you," Stalker said to Scarlett with a friendly smile. It was two weeks since Scarlett had arrived in her own private twilight zone.  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said you haven't been acting yourself. He said that something has happened to your personality, to your soul. You are very much like the Scarlett we know, yet different."  
  
"Hey, what is going on, Scarlett?" Steeler's voice interrupted Stalker.  
  
Steeler came around to Scarlett and stood near her, holding a root beer.  
  
"I gotta say, Scarlett, that Baroness is looking hotter all the time. Why, just last week, when we were all fighting that massive battle in the fields of Borovia, I spotted her from afar. As she viciously emptied out a full clip of ammo of her Uzi submachine gun at my position while shrieking profanities, I think there was definitely something between her and me. A connection, a spark. Something told me that even though she was spraying bullets in my direction, she was secretly sending me a message saying that she wanted me."  
  
Snake Eyes and Stalker both stared at Steeler as if he were insane. Scarlett blushed, embarrassed.  
  
Clutch, Ace, and Breaker gathered around to listen to Steeler's romantic tale.  
  
"Wow, that's some story, Steeler. The Baroness fired several rounds of an AK-47 at me, but I think in my case, she was actually trying to kill me," Breaker said sarcastically.  
  
"When you succeed in bedding the Baroness, make sure to tell the rest of us so we can get in on the action," Clutch added.  
  
"No way man. The Baroness isn't some cheap whore, she's an absolute dream. Why would I share her with a punk like you?"  
  
Everyone enjoyed a good laugh as Steeler bid Scarlett good-bye and walked off to join Ace, Clutch, and Breaker at another table.  
  
Later that day, Scarlett and Stalker were alone in the library. Scarlett had asked to speak with Stalker alone, and they had managed to find a place where they could speak in private for a while.  
  
"Stalker, how did Snake Eyes and I fall in love?"  
  
Stalker fidgeted with his beret as he looked for the right place to begin.  
  
"I know it sounds like a weird thing to ask, but please believe me when I tell you I'm not suffering from amnesia, and I'm not on drugs. Please trust me. I really want to know what happened to me in this alternate reality I've found myself in."  
  
"Scarlett, what you've told Snake Eyes and me sounds like pure fantasy. I want to believe you, but I'm taking an enormous leap of faith here. What happened to the Scarlett from this reality, if what you say is true?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Stalker looked at her inquisitively before taking a deep breath and diving in.  
  
"You and Snake Eyes first met when the Joe team was first formed," Stalker began.  
  
Stalker told her everything. He told of first meeting Snake Eyes as a commando in Vietnam, how Snake Eyes' sister and parents were killed in a car crash the day he returned, how he trained in the ninja arts and withdrew to a cabin in the mountains. Then came the formation of the Joe team, the introduction of Scarlett as a martial arts instructor, and the first meeting of Scarlett and Snake Eyes. Scarlett arched an eyebrow in amusement as she listened to things that she had never done, but which her alternate self had. She gave a laugh when Stalker related her humiliation of Steeler and Clutch, followed by Snake Eyes allowing Scarlett to throw him.  
  
"Something drew you to him from that day on," Stalker said. "You watched Snake Eyes from afar, noticed what a loner he was. You noticed the way he sat by himself during meals. You noticed the way he never joined the other Joes in any social outings. You were intrigued; you wanted to reach out to him and find out more about him. More than that, you were touched by his loneliness and wanted him to be happy.  
  
"Almost immediately, the two of you connected with each other. You told each other things neither of you shared with anyone else. You liked and respected each other, you enjoyed each other's company. Through your kindness, Scarlett, Snake Eyes began emerging from his shell. Then came the accident."  
  
"The accident?"  
  
Scarlett sat, transfixed, as Stalker told of the day they had been caught in a burning helicopter. She felt a lump forming in her throat as she listened to the way Snake Eyes had risked his life to save her. An explosion of glass ruined his face and vocal cords. Tears formed in Scarlett's eyes as Stalker described the devotion between Scarlett and Snake Eyes, and the way they risked everything for each other, time and again.  
  
No one had ever given and sacrificed so much for her well being, not even Duke. Here was a man who gave his face and his voice, and would gladly do it for her again and again. And why?  
  
Because he loved her with all his soul.  
  
"I never knew anyone could love me so much," Scarlett said, wiping a tear from her eye, her voice filled with wonder.  
  
It was late at night when Scarlett knocked on Snake Eyes' door.  
  
"Snake Eyes," Scarlett said, looking into his eyes, "Stalker told me the story of how we came together."  
  
Snake Eyes said nothing. He shifted his weight a little and continued looking at her.  
  
"It's some story," Scarlett smiled. She tried to ease the tension in her stomach with a laugh, but the butterflies persisted all the same.  
  
"Snake Eyes," Scarlett cried as she threw herself into his arms. The tears flowed freely now, she knew not from where. All she knew was the intense gratitude that she now felt for him, even though she had never personally experienced these things herself. The idea that anyone could love her, or someone like her, so deeply, truly touched something in her heart. This relationship between her and Snake Eyes in this world was a mystery that she was finally beginning to unravel. Surely, there must be something that she could learn and bring back with her, because one day she felt she would go back to where she had come from. She knew not when or where or how, but something in her gut told her this. Scarlett now felt a tremendous desire to treasure up the love Snake Eyes showered upon her so unconditionally; this love was a rare thing that could not easily be found once lost. This love was something she must treasure within her heart, just as a child holds onto the sweet memories of a distant day filled with wonder and magic. Like that child, Scarlett would spend the rest of her life hoping to recapture the essence of that original, pure feeling, again and again, because in these moments, she would believe that she had found true happiness.  
  
Snake Eyes held her tightly in his arms and gently rubbed her back with his hands. Gradually, Scarlett's outburst of feeling and emotion subsided, and they stood there in the shadow of the doorway listening to the beating of each other's hearts.  
  
"I have something I would like to ask of you," Scarlett said, gently peeling away Snake Eyes' mask. For the first time, her eyes met the scars of that long ago accident. Every line and curve on his face and throat was a testament of his love for her. Scarlett, feeling a sense of awe, tenderly ran her fingers over the scars, memorizing the contours of this man's face.  
  
"Something very important," Scarlett continued as she cupped Snake Eyes' face in her hands and kissed him lightly on the forehead. Snake Eyes closed his eyes and smiled, enjoying the touch of Scarlett, even if it wasn't really the Scarlett he knew and loved.  
  
He knew this much, though: he knew he could grow to love the Scarlett now standing before him.  
  
"Will you teach me sign language?"  
  
"Of course," Snake Eyes mouthed silently.  
  
They smiled affectionately at each other for a moment, before Snake Eyes gently took her hand and led her into his quarters to begin the lesson.  
  
To be continued… 


	3. Scarlett in Love

Snake Eyes was a patient teacher. He never once expressed disgust or anger with Scarlett when she screwed something up, and he provided unceasing encouragement and reassurance. The longer Scarlett stayed in this alternate world, the more at home she felt. She and Snake Eyes spent most of their free time together. The more they talked with each other, the more Scarlett's sign language skills improved, and the better she felt she knew him.  
  
Scarlett never realized how much she would learn about Snake Eyes, in the time she spent learning sign language. The experience was awkward at first, but they soon settled into a familiar pattern. Snake Eyes would say something to Scarlett in sign language, something any normal conversation would have entailed. Scarlett would respond in her usual way, but if she did not understand, Snake Eyes would write it down for her. He would periodically repeat certain words and expressions in sign language to help Scarlett commit everything to memory.  
  
"Talk to me about anything," Scarlett said.  
  
"Like what?" Snake Eyes wrote.  
  
"Tell me more about yourself. Tell me everything there is to know about you."  
  
So Snake Eyes would tell her about something new every day. He spoke to her in sign language at great length about his family, particularly his twin sister. He told his favorite stories from his childhood. He told stories of the most memorable missions he and Scarlett had participated on together.  
  
Scarlett, in turn, shared with Snake Eyes many stories of her family, her life, her dreams, and her experience in G.I. Joe. When Scarlett was with Snake Eyes, she often was able to forget her predicament. It felt natural to be with him. She felt herself beginning to settle into this new relationship with him. It was a relationship filled with warmth and understanding.  
  
One day Snake Eyes explained to Scarlett his reasons for loving her.  
  
"Scarlett, I love you because you are compassionate, caring, and above all, kind. When I was lonely, you reached out to me and rescued me from loneliness. You became my family when I had none. When the others shrank from the sight of my face, you embraced me, not out of pity or guilt, but out of love."  
  
* * *  
  
Word of Scarlett's otherworldly tale spread through the ranks of G.I. Joe, and soon everyone knew of her peculiar plight. There were many people who did not believe her, who thought she suffered from a strange delusion. They said Scarlett had "lost the edge." But a few did believe her in spite of themselves, and this camp included Stalker, Breaker, Ace, Rock 'N Roll, Jinx, and Snake Eyes. They believed her out of their respect for her and ultimately out of the truth of their friendship for her. Scarlett could not prove the truth of her story, but her friends implicitly trusted her all the same. Days turned into weeks, weeks became months, until so much time had elapsed since the incident, that everyone accepted Scarlett without reservation. She had managed to assimilate herself into this different G.I. Joe team, and she found that she enjoyed her new life as much, possibly even more, than her former one.  
  
However, Scarlett longed to return to her old friends and the home she had known all her life. Enlisting Breaker's assistance, she monitored the North American skies carefully. Every day, she checked in with Breaker, who manned the communication consoles in the Joe headquarters. Nothing happened without his knowing. If any kind of weird space-time warp appeared in the skies, he would notice, and he would tell Scarlett right away.  
  
Scarlett rested one hand on Breaker's shoulder as she leaned over to peer at the computer monitors as usual. Breaker, seated, popped in another wad of bubble gum as he turned his head toward Scarlett.  
  
"Nothing unusual, Scarlett."  
  
"The same, huh?" Scarlett said with a sigh. They had been performing this ritual nearly every day for the last six months.  
  
"What makes you think this is the way for you to get home?"  
  
"Because," Scarlett explained, "it's the only thing I know. All I know is that I flew through a weird electromagnetic distortion, some bizarre thing, and if I could somehow fly back through it, maybe I'll be home again."  
  
"You know, Scarlett," Breaker said seriously, "I've never gotten over how weird it is for me to hear you talk like that. When I see you, I see Scarlett, I don't see an imposter or a stranger. I don't see someone else."  
  
"Why are you humoring me, then?"  
  
"Well," Breaker said, flashing a debonair smile, "I figure, what the hell. I like you, Scarlett. You're not yourself, but hell, I don't mind seeing your sweet self here every day. It beats doing actual work."  
  
Scarlett laughed and squeezed his shoulder.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she headed out the door.  
  
She was off-duty and planned to spend another day with Snake Eyes, who was also off. As she made her way to Snake Eyes' quarters, Scarlett spotted Steeler alone in the Joe motor pool.  
  
"Hi, Steeler!" Scarlett gave a friendly wave.  
  
Steeler looked up from his tank engine repair work. For several weeks, Steeler had looked terrible. He was generally sullen, morose, and biting. It was so bad that he had gotten into a fistfight with Clutch and had consequently spent a night in the brig.  
  
"Hey," he muttered back.  
  
Scarlett, concerned, walked toward Steeler and put a hand on his shoulder. He continued to sit still, holding a wrench in one hand and a soda in the other.  
  
"Steeler, what's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, what do you want?"  
  
"I can tell something's happened. You haven't been yourself. You want to talk about it?"  
  
Steeler grimaced for a few moments, and then he let it all out.  
  
"It's all the fault of that bitch, the Baroness. When we were fighting a battle with Cobra last month, I had her cornered with my Mauler in her HISS tank. Clutch was there to back me up. So she climbs out of her tank with her hands up and says she surrenders, please don't hurt me!  
  
"I'm thinking, damn she's hot!!! I tell her, don't do anything funny, gorgeous. The Baroness starts walking toward me with her hands behind her head, swaying her hips. Man has she got nice hips. But since I'm trying to maintain at least some tiny shred of professionalism, I jump out of the Mauler with my M16 and yell at her, don't fucking move or I'll fucking blow you away!  
  
"She keeps coming, swaying those hips, projecting her chest outward. It's like she's practically inviting me to reach out and grope at her. She says, Steeler, I think you are one cute guy. Don't you think we could talk it over someplace private, work things out? I'm sure we could negotiate something mutually… pleasurable, she says. My jaw is dropping. I'm thinking, holy shit, I think Scarlett was on to something! I'm going to score! And Clutch, he's staring, too. And she's just standing a few feet from me, and before I know it, she lets loose this mean roundhouse kick that knocks my rifle out. Then she fucking kicks me in the nuts!  
  
"So long, the Baroness says as she escapes, it could have been beautiful, Steeler. I'm lying on the ground holding my wounded balls and Clutch, what is he doing in all of this? Is he doing anything to stop the Baroness from getting away? No. He's doubled over, laughing at me. Son of a bitch! I'm possibly sterilized and he's fucking laughing at me! I don't care what you say about your parallel worlds, Scarlett. That fucking Baroness, I want to fucking kill her! That bitch is fucking dead meat!"  
  
"Wow," Scarlett said, at a loss for words.  
  
"I'm sorry for being so vulgar and shit, Scarlett, but I'm really pissed. But more than that, I'm humiliated. It's just so unbearably demeaning."  
  
Steeler covered his face with his hands.  
  
"Steeler, I'm your friend. Just know that I think you're a good guy. If you want to talk with me about anything, anything at all, just say so. I'm here for you. We can have a drink sometime. Sound okay?"  
  
Steeler looked up at her and smiled for the first time in weeks.  
  
"Thanks, Scarlett. That's awfully kind of you. We'll have a few drinks, sure."  
  
* * *  
  
Together, Scarlett and Snake Eyes walked hand in hand along the shores of Staten Island, in the still of night. The night sky was clear and filled with stars. Only the stars and the moon lit the ground beneath their feet.  
  
"Snake Eyes, do you believe in destiny?"  
  
Snake Eyes, not wearing his customary mask, looked at her for a moment.  
  
"I thought I did. But when you tell me about alternate worlds, I am not so sure," he signed.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because if your story is true, then everything that has happened in this world is a result of random chance. This world is different from the one you know only as a result of a toss of the dice."  
  
"Don't you think our coming together was meant to be?"  
  
"Possibly," Snake Eyes signed.  
  
"How about this," Scarlett said, moving closer to Snake Eyes as they sat on the beach, "maybe there are an infinite number of parallel worlds out there. In some of these worlds, you and I are together, but in others, such as mine, we are not very close. Maybe, in my world, Snake Eyes and I are meant to be together, but we've gone against our destiny. We've drifted away from the pattern of what was meant to be. Maybe extraordinary events must happen in order for our intended fates to be realized."  
  
"The Snake Eyes from your world," Snake Eyes asked, "what is he like?"  
  
Scarlett smiled as she gazed at the dark waters and listened to the soothing rhythm of the waves lazily coming in and receding.  
  
"He's loyal, courageous, and kind. Very much like you," Scarlett said, looking into his eyes.  
  
"The Snake Eyes I knew saved my life once, in a way I'll always remember. Saved all of our lives. He sacrificed himself, trapped himself inside a barrier containing deadly gases, in order to save us."  
  
Scarlett could easily visualize the way he had pressed his hand to the glass shield, and the way she had pressed her own hand to the shield from the other side, reluctantly saying good-bye, wondering if this was the last time she would ever see him. She remembered her happiness at later seeing him alive and well. They had embraced.  
  
"He did it for me," she said wonderingly.  
  
"Snake Eyes, I'm glad I'm here with you," Scarlett said earnestly.  
  
"Me too," Snake Eyes signed.  
  
"I believe that I was meant to come here. I was meant to come here to learn from you and be changed by you."  
  
"You've gotten very good at understanding me," Snake Eyes signed, smiling.  
  
"I had a good teacher," Scarlett said softly.  
  
Their eyes met. Each person could feel the emotion radiating from the other. Scarlett felt the butterflies in her stomach, realizing what would soon happen, as their faces slowly moved toward each other. As their lips touched for the first time, they put their arms around each other, drawing each other nearer as the kiss grew in passion and feeling.  
  
"I love you," Scarlett whispered tenderly with an inner conviction she had never known before.  
  
For a long time, neither of them said a word as they lay on the sand, side by side, gazing at the stars above.  
  
* * *  
  
After Scarlett's profession of love for Snake Eyes, they shared a spiritual closeness and intimacy that she had never before experienced. For days after the night on the beach, Scarlett lived in a euphoric state. She felt as if she could walk on water. No one among G.I. Joe had thought it possible for Scarlett to show any more cheerfulness and sweetness in her disposition than she already did, but everyone was proved pleasantly wrong.  
  
The doors in Scarlett's heart were thrown open. All her life, she was a prisoner, and now she tasted the sweet joys of freedom. In Scarlett's mind, the love she had found between herself and Snake Eyes was a divine revelation, one that she desired to share with everyone in her life who she cared for, the way a preacher wishes to share the gospel with all of humanity. She sought out teammates who she felt she might have slighted in the least possible way and begged for their forgiveness. She sought out her friends and showered them with her love, as Snake Eyes showered her with his love.  
  
It was impossible for anyone in G.I. Joe to fail to notice the amazing change in Scarlett; she was a wellspring of good feelings and happiness. Scarlett treated Steeler, Clutch, Ace, and Breaker to a round of drinks at the local bar. Roadblock was amused to find Scarlett pop in unexpectedly one evening during preparations for dinner, asking if she could help in any way. Rock 'N Roll and Wild Bill were profoundly touched when Scarlett showed up at their quarters, bearing small gifts and expressing with genuine feeling, all the ways that she cared for and appreciated them. Remembering how Duke had remarked that they never spent any time together, Scarlett took him out for a cup of coffee.  
  
"This is a surprise, Scarlett. Would you mind telling me what made you decide to ask me out to coffee? I mean, we hardly ever hang out."  
  
"I'm sorry, I've been neglecting you, Duke. I've neglected our friendship, and I want to show you that our friendship is important to me."  
  
Touched, Duke smiled as they sat in the café, enjoying their drink together.  
  
"Man," Stalker remarked with wonder to Snake Eyes one day while they were working out together in the gymnasium, "have you got the touch or what? What did you ever do to make Scarlett so incredibly happy? What's your secret?"  
  
Snake Eyes could only smile in contentment.  
  
Some mornings, Scarlett would find Snake Eyes as he emerged from his quarters, embrace him tenderly, and tell him that she loved him. It was her way of wishing him a good and happy day.  
  
"I love you," Snake Eyes signed to her. "Every day that I am with you, I find new reasons to love you…"  
  
* * *  
  
Two weeks had passed since Scarlett and Snake Eyes had kissed on the beach. The morning sun roused Scarlett from her sleep, and she smiled. Her outpouring of displays of love for her teammates had subsided a bit (no one could humanly sustain that feeling forever), but her sweetness and good feelings still remained, ever capable of triggering an occasional demonstration of love when she was moved to do so. If she was to be stranded here in the alternate world, she could accept her fate. She felt content with her life. She was at peace.  
  
The phone rang, and Scarlett frowned a little. It was still early in the morning. Who could be calling her?  
  
"It's Breaker," said the voice on the other end. "I'm in the communications room. You better come up here right away."  
  
The day Scarlett had alternately hoped for and dreaded had finally arrived. Feeling a bit of trepidation, Scarlett hurriedly got dressed and made her way to the communications control room as quickly as she could.  
  
"Does anyone else know about this?" Scarlett said as she drew up alongside Breaker, who remained seated at his console.  
  
Breaker was manning the control room alone. It was not even yet 7:00 AM.  
  
"No," Breaker said. "At least, I haven't told anyone, that is. You were the first person I called."  
  
There, on one of the display monitors, Scarlett saw a bizarre distortion over the American midwest, in the same location as before. Some kind of electromagnetic distortion was the best that Scarlett and Breaker could see from the data that came up from the satellite images.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it before," Breaker said.  
  
"How long do you think it will stay there?" Scarlett asked, her mind racing, trying to come up with plausible scenarios.  
  
"Unknown," Breaker answered.  
  
"I need a Sky Striker," Scarlett said. "I need to take a jet and go back out there."  
  
"That's a negative, Scarlett," a voice said from behind them.  
  
Scarlett and Breaker both turned to see General Hawk walking into the room.  
  
"I just got a call from the Pentagon. The FAA has declared the area 'restricted air space.' Absolutely no one, civilian or military, is to go anywhere within a 100 mile radius of the anomaly until further notice."  
  
"But General Hawk—" Scarlett protested.  
  
"I know what you're thinking, Scarlett. I've heard your story. I can't believe you've still got this crazy notion that you'll fly a Sky Striker through it so you can go home to your own alternate world."  
  
Scarlett flushed, saying nothing.  
  
"It's a fantasy, Scarlett."  
  
"But haven't you even considered it remotely possible that I could be right?"  
  
"Even so, I can't allow you to risk your life for the sake of your hunch. You don't know what will happen if you fly through. No one knows."  
  
"We're wasting precious time, please—" Scarlett pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry that I have to do this," Hawk said grimly as Alpine and Bazooka appeared behind him.  
  
"You're confined to your quarters, under guard, until I say otherwise. Understand it's for your own sake."  
  
Breaker stared slack-jawed as he watched Alpine and Bazooka reluctantly take hold of a struggling Scarlett. Scarlett, after crying out for Breaker's help, squirmed a bit within the grip of Alpine and Bazooka, but she perceived the situation was hopeless. Scarlett hung her head as her two teammates quietly led her away.  
  
To be concluded in Chapter Four… 


	4. Scarlett's Treasure

A note from the author (7/26/2010): Over the years, some people have left annoying spam reviews lecturing me about my "ignorance" of the history of Scarlett and Snake Eyes. One guy left me a page long essay about the history of S/SE that I couldn't do anything about until added the ability to have abusive reviews deleted a couple years ago. I've been accused of not being a "true" (gasp!) Scarlett/Snake Eyes fan and that I should "go fuck yourself." Apparently there exists on the internet a group of trolls who believe that Larry Hama's comic book (which I have read in its entirety) is the gospel, and that people who present stories deviating from that creative aesthetic (namely Scarlett/Duke shippers) are idiots. While I enjoy the Scarlett/Snake Eyes pairing, I don't need to have academic discussions on the topic and I'm not interested in hearing your so-called "evidence" supporting your views. Just go bother someone else. If you try to lecture me about Scarlett and Snake Eyes, I'll block your ass, and I'll have your reviews deleted. Seriously, it's not like I give a shit about you anyway- Fuck you. Oh… And to all the people who have left nice comments for me over the years, thank you.

SCARLETT'S QUARTERS

Somewhere in the skies over Illinois, a strange portal to another world shined brightly, beckoning an adventurous soul to fly through, but no one dared approach the light of mystery. The only person who dared do so now sat dejected and demoralized in her quarters.

"Come on, guys," Scarlett called out to Alpine and Bazooka, who stood guard on the other side of the door. "Let me out. Please?"

No answer came.

"Pretty please?"

"Sorry, Scarlett, orders are orders," Alpine said remorsefully.

"How about this," Scarlett said as she got up and pressed against her closed front door.

"How about doing it for me?"

"Don't think so," Alpine yelled back.

"I think you are both really swell guys. You have always been nice to me and you know what? I love you guys."

"We love you too," Bazooka said, smiling at Scarlett's verbal game as he pulled a Twinkie out of his pocket. She had already tried to reason with them, explaining how she had gotten here from a parallel world and needed to go back. Or some shit like that. Now Scarlett was trying to cajole them into listening to her. She was trying to play mind games with them. Right now Bazooka had more immediate concerns. He licked his lips in anticipation of a sweet, wonderful bombardment of calories.

"So what say you let me 'take a stroll' down the hall and to the elevator. I'd love to get some fresh air outside… like on the airfield. You can come with me. What say we take a walk?"

"Sure, Scarlett, we'll do that… next time I feel like getting my ass chewed out," Bazooka replied sarcastically.

"Honesty, Bazooka, how can you eat that shit?" Alpine said, pointing at Bazooka's Twinkie.

"Hey man, you only live once," Bazooka said.

"You know, you keep eating like that and you know what's going to happen? You'll end up fat, bloated, and out of shape, with a ticket to Heart Attack City."

Bazooka paused to ponder his future state of cardiac fitness, the Twinkie nearly inside his cavernous mouth.

"Nah, not likely," Bazooka said as he stuffed the Twinkie into his mouth. Some of the cream got onto his mustache, and he wiped it off with his hand. Bazooka fiddled in his pockets with his other hand, looking for a tissue, but finding none, he shrugged and wiped the cream on the wall next to Scarlett's door.

"Disgusting," Alpine said.

Above Alpine and Bazooka, Snake Eyes silently watched the two Joes talking outside of Scarlett's room, through a ventilation grate. With painstaking care, Snake Eyes had loosened the grating. It was just big enough to allow him to drop through and attack Alpine and Bazooka from above.

The moment had to be perfect.

"Hey, Bazooka," Alpine said in a conspiratorial voice, "you got any more of those?"

"What? After the lecture you just gave me? Fuck you!" Bazooka said.

"Well, sorry man, I'm hungry. That measly bowl of Corn Flakes I ate for breakfast just doesn't cut it. How am I going to have the energy to play ball later this morning and whoop your ass?"

"Here, just take it," Bazooka said, digging in his pocket for another Twinkie and tossing it to Alpine. "I don't need a Twinkie to whoop your ass on the court, bitch."

"Who you calling a bitch… bitch?" Alpine said indignantly to Bazooka as Jinx walked toward them, dressed in her red uniform and mask.

"Working hard, guys?" Jinx said, pulling off her mask and smiling at Alpine and Bazooka.

"Uh…" Alpine said dumbly as he held his Twinkie, "You can't be here, Jinx. Scarlett's quarters is off limits right now."

From the other side of her door, Scarlett listened closely, her ear pressed against the door. Jinx was here. What could this mean?

"But she's my friend, my bosom pal. Can't I drop in and see how she's doing?" Jinx said in a petulant, whiny voice. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently, her attitude firm and unyielding.

The moment had come. Snake Eyes slowly removed the grating from the ventilation duct above Alpine as Bazooka moved toward Jinx to shoo her away.

"Come on, Jinx, give us a damn break. You know we're not allowed to—"

Suddenly, Snake Eyes dropped from the ceiling and landed on Alpine's shoulders, forcing him to the floor. Before Alpine could even shout out in alarm, Snake Eyes grabbed his head and banged it to the floor, knocking him unconscious.

Shocked, Bazooka turned to see Snake Eyes attack Alpine. He had just enough time to swing his rifle toward Snake Eyes before Jinx ambushed him with a well-placed wheel kick to the head.

Scarlett stepped away from her door as it opened and Snake Eyes came in backwards, dragging Alpine by the armpits. Jinx dragged in Bazooka.

"I hope we didn't hurt them too bad," Jinx said in concern as Snake Eyes produced a roll of duct tape and proceeded to bind and gag the unconscious Alpine and Bazooka.

"They'll be fine… they'll have a mean headache, though," Snake Eyes signed to her.

"Snake Eyes, Jinx," Scarlett said, alarmed, "you could be court martialed for this. You could be kicked out of the service, or worse."

"Scarlett, we're going to help you, at all cost. No risk is too great," Snake Eyes signed to her.

"No one better try to stop us," Jinx said as she handed Scarlett a rifle.

THE CONTROL ROOM

Duke and General Hawk were discussing something in the communications control room, while Breaker and Flash sat at their consoles.

Breaker looked around him. Duke and Hawk were busy talking some distance away from him and weren't paying any attention to him. Flash lounged in his seat with a comic book, periodically stopping to look up and stare at the images of the anomaly over Illinois.

Returning his attention to his console, Breaker took a look at the security camera monitors. Camera 7 showed a long corridor, with many side hallways, that led to the main elevator.

"You're clear," Breaker said into the microphone of his communications headset.

On the monitor for Camera 7, Breaker watched Snake Eyes give a quick nod to the camera as he and Jinx led Scarlett down the corridor.

Hawk and Duke were finishing up their conversation. If either of them spotted what was happening on the security cameras, Breaker would be in deep shit, he knew.

"I'll check on Scarlett and see how she's holding up," Duke said to Hawk, saluting him as he made his exit.

Oh shit, Breaker thought. Whistling, Breaker casually switched off cameras 7 and 10, both of which showed Scarlett and her two accomplices. He also switched off camera 15, which kept watch from a corner of the ceiling of the main elevator.

"You better haul ass quick, Duke's going to Scarlett's," Breaker hissed into his headset as General Hawk moved to where he was sitting.

"Heyyyy," Breaker said, grinning as he swiveled in his chair to face Hawk. "What can I do for you, General?"

THE MAIN CORRIDOR

Jinx peered from around the corner of a side hall. A distance of 50 yards separated them from the elevator that led to the airfield. No one was in sight, at the moment. There were a couple of stacks of large wooden crates containing food, but other than that, the hall was empty.

"Breaker, are we clear?" Jinx said into her transponder.

"Breaker?"

"What's wrong?" Scarlett said.

"He's not answering. I think we're on our own from here on," Jinx whispered. Near the elevator, Jinx knew that Ace, Rock 'N Roll, and Stalker waited in one of the storage rooms.

"Hey what's going on?" Steeler said.

The three Joes whirled around to face Steeler, who had come around from an adjoining hall and had approached them from behind.

"Scarlett?" Steeler said, surprised. This looked suspicious as hell. Steeler gave a quick glance around him and noticed an alarm was serendipitously located just a few feet from him, to his right.

Snake Eyes, Scarlett, and Jinx noticed this fact as well. There was nothing they could do to stop Steeler from sounding the alarm. If Steeler pulled the alarm, it was over. If they shot Steeler to stop him from pulling the alarm, their cover would be blown.

"Please, don't sound the alarm," Scarlett begged Steeler.

"Scarlett. What the hell are you doing?"

"The anomaly, Steeler. I flew through it before, and now I've got to fly back through it again."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

"Scarlett, you're my friend and all, but if I allowed you to endanger yourself… I couldn't live with myself."

Scarlett walked toward Steeler and closed the distance between them. She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. Looking him in the eyes, Scarlett silently asked him to remember their friendship, the good times they had shared together, and to do her this last favor.

"Please. Everything's going to be fine. You've got to trust me."

Steeler stood there for a few moments, conflicted. Finally, after closing his eyes, he motioned her off.

"Go on, get out of here. I never saw you."

Scarlett smiled as she took Steeler's hand in her own. She squeezed it gently.

"Thanks, Steeler."

Scarlett turned and raced with Snake Eyes and Jinx down the hall to the elevator.

THE CONTROL ROOM

"Did Scarlett say anything else when she saw you?" Hawk asked.

"No sir," Breaker said, wondering if Hawk noticed how nervous he was getting.

"Breaker, why are those three monitors turned off?"

"Uh, excuse me?"

"Cameras 7, 10, and 15. They're not showing anything."

"Oh?" Breaker feigned surprise as he turned back to face the array of twenty-five security monitors.

"Well, what do you know? Son of a bitch! I guess I forgot about them," Breaker said, trying his best to stall for time. The ear phone in his headset was silent. He had no idea where Scarlett was now.

Hawk stared at Breaker, his suspicion growing.

"Well?"

"Well what, sir?"

"Would you mind turning them on?"

"What? Ohhhh, turn on the monitors! Ha, ha. Of course, sir."

Taking his sweet time, Breaker stopped for a few moments to grab his cup of coffee and take a long, drawn out sip. He placed the cup of coffee back on the counter and lazily reached over to the monitors.

This is it, he thought, as he flicked the on switches, one by one. He held his breath as the monitors flickered back to life.

The hallways showed no one except for Ace, Rock 'N Roll, and Stalker. They were standing around outside the main elevator, having a friendly chat, it seemed. The elevator doors behind them were closing.

Camera 15, which kept watch of the interior of the elevator, showed Snake Eyes and Jinx. Breaker grinned as he realized that they had shoved Scarlett into the space right beneath the camera, which was situated in a corner of the ceiling. They had exploited the camera's blind spot.

Hawk nodded curtly and said to Breaker, "Keep me informed," before walking out of the room.

Breaker sighed in relief at having bought his friends a few extra moments.

SCARLETT'S QUARTERS

Coming around toward Scarlett's room, Duke sensed something was wrong right away.

"Alpine! Bazooka!" Duke called out, his voice echoing down the corridor. Silence.

"Come on, you guys, you're supposed to be guarding Scarlett…"

Duke looked both ways as he stopped in front of Scarlett's door. He noticed a smashed Twinkie not too far from where he was standing.

"What the hell?" Duke said as he opened the door and walked in. No one was there.

"Scarlett!" Duke called out, pulling out his gun.

He edged toward Scarlett's bedroom, gun in hand. The door to the bedroom was ajar. Duke charged into the room, gun drawn, and stopped in his tracks.

Alpine and Bazooka were lying unconscious on Scarlett's bed, gagged and bound.

"Oh shit," Duke said as he turned and ran out of Scarlett's room, heading for the nearest alarm.

THE ELEVATOR

Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Jinx were still on the elevator when the general alarm sounded. Duke's voice came on the PA system.

"Attention, all Joes! Scarlett has escaped from her quarters and is at large. She is armed and may have accomplices. You are ordered to find her and arrest her immediately!"

The elevator came to a stop at the top level, and the doors opened. Beyond the doors lay the hanger and runway.

"I hope we can get a Sky Striker in time," Scarlett said, worried.

Snake Eyes nodded to her as he jammed his fist on the "Emergency Stop" button on the elevator, locking the elevator at the top level. It would take approximately ten minutes for the other Joes to climb the stairwell all the way to the top.

The three Joes burst out of the elevator and came face to face with five flight technicians and crewmen. None of the flight personnel were armed.

"Do we have a Sky Striker fueled and ready for take off?" Scarlett asked one of them, a tall, lanky young man who appeared very nervous to find himself confronted by an armed fugitive.

"Uh, yes we do," the technician said. He pointed to one of the ten Sky Strikers in the hanger bay.

"I'll need to 'borrow' it," Scarlett said.

"But," one of the mechanics protested, "we can't allow you to—"

"We insist," Jinx said.

Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Jinx pulled up their weapons and held the five men at gunpoint. The five men looked at each other and shrugged. No arguments here…

THE MAIN CORRIDOR

Duke led a squad of heavily armed Joes down the main corridor to the elevator. He knew Scarlett that Scarlett wanted a Sky Striker. She had probably reached the elevator. She may even have reached the airfield by now. There was still a chance that he could stop her from taking off, since he did not think much time had elapsed since the breakout.

As they drew nearer to the elevator, Duke and the others noticed a stack of large wooden crates blocked their passage.

"Halt!" Duke cried, bringing the others to a stop at a distance of twenty yards from the barricade.

Behind the stack of wooden crates, directly between Duke's squad and the elevator, Stalker, Ace, and Rock 'N Roll had taken up position. The three men crouched behind the crates and had their rifles drawn in firing position.

"We won't let you pass," Stalker shouted.

Duke, Gung-Ho, Dusty, Ripcord, Lady Jaye, Roadblock, Wild Bill, Cover Girl, Beachhead, Footloose, and Quick Kick all exchanged looks of shock and confusion.

"Stalker, Ace, and Rock 'N Roll. What do you think you're doing?"

"We're protecting Scarlett," Rock 'N Roll said.

"We don't want to fire at you, but if you come any closer, we will," Ace added.

But Ace knew he didn't mean it. He cringed at the thought of shooting his friends. None of the three Joes wanted to hurt their teammates in any way.

"We're just stalling for time," Stalker had said as the three Joes had moved the crates into position after hearing the alarm go off. "We've got to make them think we're serious."

Duke ordered his squad to take cover in the nearby side hallways.

"Jeez," Cover Girl said to Duke as he joined her in one of the side hallways, "I don't want to fight my own teammates."

"These guys are our friends," Gung-Ho said.

"Our brothers," Quick Kick said.

"Guys, be reasonable," Duke pleaded with Stalker, emerging from his cover. "You're committing gross insubordination and threatening to shoot your own teammates. Is that the way we work in G.I. Joe?"

"Doesn't matter what you say, Duke, we won't let you pass," Stalker repeated.

"Guys, just calm down, okay?" Duke took a few steps forward. "Just put down your weapons and—"

Stalker took aim and fired a single shot at Duke. The bullet whizzed between Duke's legs and hit the ground ten yards directly behind him. Duke, reflexively covering his nuts, turned to look backward at the bullet hole in the floor.

"Fuck me!" Duke cried.

He whirled around toward his squad and put up his hands. Gung-Ho and Beachhead were about to fire back in reflex.

"Hold your fire, hold your fire!"

Duke backed away from where he was standing. He found Lady Jaye in one of the side corridors.

"I need tear gas grenades," he said fiercely. He was infuriated now, marveling at the nerve of that bastard Stalker, trying to scare him like that! He turned to the others.

"Gas masks, everyone. We're going to rush them, we're going to come after them in a full on blitz. On my order."

Hidden from sight of the three insurgents, Duke's squad of soldiers donned their gas masks and slung their rifles over their shoulders. They would fight with their fists.

Taking two tear gas grenades from Lady Jaye, Duke activated them and hurled them at Stalker, Ace, and Rock 'N Roll. None of them had gas masks.

"Son of a bitch," Stalker said as he watched the grenades arch toward them, leaving thin tendrils of smoke in their wake. "I should have known."

"Charge!" Duke cried, donning his gas mask, as he led his teammates in a mad rush toward the elevator. The gas grenades exploded, and a cloud of tear gas rapidly swept outward, from the elevator, down the hall, enveloping Stalker, Ace, and Rock 'N Roll in a matter of seconds.

"Get them," Stalker cried madly as he threw down his weapon and hurled himself over the barricade. Ace and Rock 'N Roll followed his lead. The three Joes, blinded and with burning lungs, held their breaths and shut their eyes as they charged their opponents.

In a cloud of gas, the two sides met in a wild exchange of punches and kicks. After landing a couple of wild punches, Ace and Rock 'N Roll were quickly overpowered. Stalker was able to seize a gas mask off of Footloose, sending him into a fit of coughing and tears, before he too went down in the midst of the fight, as multiple Joes piled on top of him.

When the smoke cleared, Stalker, Ace, and Rock 'N Roll were on the floor with tears streaming down their faces. They were coughing uncontrollably. They had been decisively beaten down, all in all. Footloose, having lost his gas mask in the thick of the fight, was also on the floor, suffering from the effects of the tear gas. The remaining Joes stood around them, their pulses racing from the excitement and stress of having to fight their own teammates.

"Gung-Ho and Roadblock, stay here with these men," Duke ordered. "The rest of you follow me!"

Duke and the remaining Joes raced toward the stairwell.

THE HANGER BAY

"You're ready to go!" one of the mechanics shouted to Scarlett, who found a flight helmet and tried it on.

The midmorning sun shone through the hanger bay doors, beyond which lay the airfield and runway. Somewhere in that clear blue sky lay Scarlett's objective. Snake Eyes and Jinx, who both had their weapons trained on the flight personnel, paused to look at her.

It was time. Scarlett strapped on her flight helmet and headed for the Sky Striker, her eyes on the ladder leading to the open cockpit.

Suddenly she froze and turned around. What was she thinking?

"Snake Eyes," she cried out, running back toward him, tearing off her flight helmet. Stripping off his mask, Snake Eyes dropped his rifle and ran to her.

They met each other and embraced each other tightly. Snake Eyes hugged her so hard, he lifted her off of her feet for a few seconds from the force of his embrace alone.

"Snake Eyes," Scarlett said, dropping the helmet from her hand. The helmet clanged on the metal ground as she cupped Snake Eyes' scarred face with her hands and kissed him passionately. Snake Eyes wrapped his arms around her. Their bodies melded into one; neither wanted to let the other go. Jinx and the flight technicians merely stared at the two, stunned. They were all visibly uncomfortable at witnessing such a private and emotional moment.

The reality of the situation had suddenly hit Scarlett. The moment of farewell had arrived at last. All this time, the goals of her mission, the need for her to escape, had superceded all other thoughts. Suddenly she saw in a moment of blinding clarity that she must now say good-bye to the man with whom she had fallen in love. Her pursuers, she knew, would be here in a matter of minutes. She only had a few minutes left to spend with him.

"How can I think of leaving you," Scarlett said, her voice breaking as her emotions welled up to the surface.

"Am I crazy? How can I leave you? I love you so much," Scarlett choked out, tears streaming down her reddened cheeks.

"Why must you go?" Snake Eyes mouthed silently to her.

"Because," Scarlett stammered, "because the people in my world NEED me…"

She looked into the face of the man who had taught her so much about herself, about life, about love. The memories of the last eight months rapidly flickered through her mind. How could she forget all the conversations they had shared together, their first kiss; how could she ever forget the sublime happiness of finding the love of her life?

"My teammates need me," Scarlett continued, trying to convince herself, her words feeling hollow and false.

At that moment, the image of Snake Eyes alone on the roof of G.I. Joe headquarters, lit up by Christmas lights, with no friends but the stars in the heavens above, flashed across Scarlett's mind. His heart had been broken, perhaps a hundred times. The scars buried themselves deep in his body and in his soul. And worst of all, he was alone.

"Because," Scarlett finally realized, thinking of the Snake Eyes alone on that roof at Christmas, "HE needs me."

Scarlett and Snake Eyes released each other from their embrace. Standing close, Snake Eyes spoke to her in sign language.

"If this is what you truly want, if this is what you need…"

Scarlett nodded tearfully.

"Remember me," he signed to her as he leaned in and kissed her for the last time. Their kiss was filled with sweetness and longing.

Scarlett, cupping Snake Eyes' face with her hands, brought his forehead against hers. They stood there together for a few moments, their eyes closed. They listened to each other breathing.

"You risked everything for me. You risk not seeing me again, not only me, but the Scarlett of this world as well, because you placed my desires above your own. How can I possibly allow myself to do anything that could break your heart?"

"I believe in you," Snake Eyes signed, "I trust you with my heart, my love… my life."

Scarlett tentatively took a few steps backward, still holding onto Snake Eyes' hands as she did so. Finally, with agonizing slowness, she let go. Picking up her flight helmet, Scarlett ran toward her plane, blinded by tears, unwilling to look back for fear that she might jeopardize her escape by lingering any longer. When she climbed up the ladder and leapt into the cockpit, she took one last look.

Snake Eyes stood with Jinx at his side. They both held up their hands in farewell. Scarlett pressed her hand against the glass of her cockpit shield as it lowered into place.

The Sky Striker lumbered out of the hanger bay and taxied onto the runway. Their weapons forgotten, Snake Eyes and Jinx watched the Sky Striker recede farther and farther into the distance. The flight technicians came out and joined them as everyone watched the plane begin to increase speed. In a matter of seconds, the rumbling roar of the jet engines filled the air as Scarlett's Sky Striker lifted off the runway and soared into the air.

At the moment of flight, Snake Eyes broke down. He would have uttered a cry of pain if he had the voice to do so. Clutching his face with his hands in anguish, Snake Eyes' knees buckled and he dropped to the ground on his knees. Meanwhile, the doors to the stairwell burst open, and Duke and his team of Joes stormed into the hangar bay.

Snake Eyes dimly heard on the periphery of his consciousness, Duke shouting orders, yelling at him that he and Jinx were under arrest for breaking Scarlett out and helping her steal a Sky Striker. He dimly perceived Jinx yelling back at Duke to shut up, can't you see his heart's broken, won't you give him a few moments for him to recover from the pain of his loss? The Joes solemnly surrounded Snake Eyes as he sat doubled over on the floor, trembling from head to toe. No one said anything for a long time. For a moment, it seemed the stolen Sky Striker had been forgotten. Nothing mattered but the dear voice he might never hear again, the shining eyes, the soft touch of the one that told him that she reserved her innermost being for him and him alone.

With single-minded purpose, Scarlett piloted her Sky Striker at top speed high above the American midwest. There was no turning back now, she knew. No one had come after her in pursuit. She wondered why. Perhaps they all realized her determination, that nothing short of shooting her down and taking a chance of killing her would stop her mission. Perhaps they realized that having failed at stopping her escape from G.I. Joe Headquarters, there was no stopping her now.

The radio crackled to life.

"Scarlett, it's me," Duke said on the radio.

"Please, think about what you're doing. It's madness," Duke pleaded with her.

The anomaly in the sky now appeared before her in the distance. She had crossed the 100 mile border zone into restricted airspace. The colors blazed brightly in the blue sky. It was like a crazy psychedelic stream, a series of waves of brilliant colors and light. Shining radiantly, it blinded her. Beaming hypnotically, it called out to her like a siren, beckoning her in.

Scarlett switched off the radio and locked her course onto the target. The rays and lines seared over her cockpit shield. Many times the size of her plane, the anomaly loomed larger and larger, until the moment of contact. Scarlett shut her eyes and gritted her teeth as she flew in.

THE CONTROL ROOM

"Scarlett," Duke repeated into the radio.

To everyone's amazement, the Sky Striker flew straight into the anomaly in the sky, and the anomaly suddenly vanished, but Scarlett's Sky Striker had reappeared on the other side, apparently intact.

A large number of Joes were gathered in the central control room. While Duke expectantly held the radio transponder, Hawk, Breaker, Flash, Cover Girl, and Lady Jaye stood behind. Accompanied by Dusty and Wild Bill, Snake Eyes and Jinx, their hands bound, also hovered near the receiver.

The radio receiver came to life.

"Uh, this is Scarlett," a disoriented sounding Scarlett said. Her voice rang throughout the room, and everyone, especially Snake Eyes, breathed a sigh of relief that she was alive.

"What's going on? What am I doing out here?"

Everyone looked at one another, astonished.

In a parallel world, an instant after disappearing into the electromagnetic distortion, Scarlett's plane reappeared on the other side.

"Scarlett!"

Someone was calling Scarlett's name over the radio. Scarlett shook her head, as confused and disoriented as from the time when she had first flown through the anomaly.

"Scarlett!" Ace's voice came through once again.

"Scarlett here," Scarlett responded. Glancing at her Sky Striker's computer, she read the date and time.

December 26, 15:07

The exact date and time she had first flown through, when she had been on patrol with Ace, all those months ago. Eight months ago, to be exact.

"Ace, what just happened?"

"You flew into that weird blob of color," Ace explained as he looked at the anomaly in space. It was still there, but it was gradually decreasing in size.

"You disappeared from my radar for a split second," Ace went on, "I saw your plane vanish into thin air."

"It's as if I was never gone," Scarlett whispered to herself.

"What does it mean?" Ace wondered out loud.

COBRA HEADQUARTERS

"I'll tell you what this means," Cobra Commander blustered at an impassive Destro, "It means this stupid contraption of yours, this incredible drain of energy and money, DOESN'T WORK!"

"Wait, Cobra Commander, no!" Destro protested as Cobra Commander took out a semiautomatic pistol and emptied an entire clip of bullets into Destro's fantastic machine.

"Fucking piece of shit!" Cobra Commander launched into a tirade of violence and obscenities. After emptying out the clip of ammo, Cobra Commander reloaded a fresh clip and shot at the device some more.

"Whore! Cocksucker! Motherless fuck!" Cobra Commander shrieked with blind rage.

With the Baroness at his side, Destro watched in stunned silence as sparks flew from the damaged circuits. A metallic shard, damaged by bullets, loosed itself from the control panel and thundered on the floor. Foul smelling smoke emanated from the ruined device.

"I suggest," Cobra Commander hissed, waving his gun menacingly at Destro, "that you take this worthless pile of junk, salvage whatever parts you can, and then use it to buy yourself a clue, you incompetent, aluminum headed dolt."

Storming off the scene, Cobra Commander left Destro with the Baroness and the ruined machine. The Baroness took Destro's arm.

"Poor sweet Destro," she said, trying to comfort her lover.

"Everyone has a dream," Destro said miserably to the Baroness. "Some men dream of riches. Some dream of power and conquest. Others dream of nothing more than finding true love."

"My dream," Destro continued, "my dream is to create the ultimate weapon of death and destruction."

He turned to her and asked, "Is that too much to ask in life?"

"I'm sorry, darling. I have nothing to offer you… except me," the Baroness said, putting an arm around his waist.

"Give me some sugar, baby," Destro said as he and the Baroness retired to their bedroom for another night of wild desires and starry eyed dreams.

G.I. JOE HEADQUARTERS

Sitting alone in her room, Scarlett tried to mentally sum up everything that had just happened, but the task was too enormous.

I may never understand the meaning of what happened, she thought to herself.

The doorbell rang. Thinking instinctively that it was her love, Snake Eyes, Scarlett bounded out of her room and practically yanked the door off its hinges. He would be there, as always, his eyes dancing in the light, his dark figure weakly illuminated in the night, his arms lovingly outstretched toward her, his hand perhaps even bearing a beautiful red rose that he had picked out for her on the way. It would be him, the man who walked a thousand miles in the desert for her and who arrived torn, bruised, and bloodied in body, but with a love unbroken and untarnished.

But he was not there. It wasn't him. No, not the love of her life. This man who stood in her doorway was as different from her adored one as he could possibly be. Tall and fair skinned, strong and handsome and manly, like someone cut out of a cigarette magazine advertisement.

"Scarlett?" Duke said, confused. "It's me."

"Oh," Scarlett said, blushing, furiously concealing the disappointment in her voice.

"We're still on for dinner, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Scarlett said, pretending to sound cheerful and happy.

"Shall we?" Duke held out his arm. Scarlett took his arm, and they proceeded to a nearby Italian restaurant.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Sure, I'm sure," Scarlett smiled as she twirled her fork absentmindedly into her spaghetti.

"It's just that you seem really distant today. You seem to have changed since yesterday."

"I have changed, Duke. I'm not the same person I was before. Nothing will be the same for me again. Nothing will ever be the same for the two of us again."

Duke reached out and put his hand on Scarlett's hand, causing her to stop fiddling with her food.

"Talk to me. What's happened to you, Shana?"

"If it seems to you that I've changed since yesterday, then it's because I've been gone for eight months."

"Eight months?"

"During that time, I learned something about myself. I learned something about my own heart."

"Shana… I don't understand."

"Conrad, we're friends, right?"

"We are friends."

"We always will be. And as your friend, I will always care for you."

Scarlett gently withdrew her hand from Duke's.

"But my heart, my soul, belongs to another. I'm sorry, Conrad."

Scarlett, fighting the tears in her eyes, grabbed her purse and stood up. She gently kissed Duke on the cheek. Duke stared at her in shock and bewilderment as she left the restaurant.

THE MESS HALL – DINNER TIME

"So Scarlett," Shipwreck said in a loud voice for everyone in the room to hear, "word from the scuttlebutt says you claim to have been gone for eight months!"

A week had passed since Scarlett had broken with Duke in the Italian restaurant. It was a typical evening in the Joe Mess Hall, but now the routine had been shattered. Everyone in the room turned to look at Scarlett, who was seated with Snake Eyes, Stalker, Rock 'N Roll, Ace, Breaker, and Jinx. The room went deathly silent.

Apparently word of Scarlett's "eight month absence" had spread fast. Scarlett perceived that Duke had mentioned to some friends the details of their break up, and these details had included her fantastical claim of having been absent for eight entire months.

Scarlett shot a glance at Duke, but he fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat and averted his eyes.

Shipwreck walked toward Scarlett from his table.

"Ace said you disappeared for just a split second!"

"That's right," Scarlett said.

"And during that split second you disappeared for eight months?"

"Yeah, that's right," Scarlett admitted, reddening.

"Now honey," Shipwreck said, his parrot perched quietly on his shoulder, "I ain't no Einstein, but I do know that half a second does not equal eight months!"

A handful of Joes burst out in hearty laughter.

"How do you explain it?" Shipwreck sneered. "I mean, I honest to God would like to know. Don't we all?"

Shipwreck gestured to the other Joes in the room, who called out: yeah, sure we do, we'd love to know!

"I can't explain it!" Scarlett cried as she stood up and walked toward the center of the room. There was once again silence.

"But I do know this much," Scarlett said, softening her tone. "I had an experience that changed my life forever. I saw and did things that, if you could just enter my mind and take a look through my own eyes, would amaze you. I traveled to a strange new world, a world with people just like you and me, a world in which G.I. Joe still vies with Cobra for the future of human kind, a world filled with good and evil, kindness and cruelty, light and darkness. And I learned about myself. I met someone who touched my heart and showed me the meaning of love, someone who sacrificed everything for my well being, someone who would have journeyed to the ends of the earth, through the pits of Hell, to save me, someone who became my path, my light, my life. We shared something truly special, something truly amazing, a meeting of souls, until I could not tell him from me. I can't explain it. There's no science or logic that can explain what I saw and heard and learned."

Everyone stared at Scarlett, transfixed by her emotional speech. Scarlett's eyes wandered around the room, focusing on each of her teammates, until finally, they settled on Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes, realizing that she was looking straight at him, looked back with uncertainty and bemusement.

"There's no scientific explanation for how things happen the way they do, or why things are what they are…" Scarlett said, continuing to look at Snake Eyes.

"…They just are."

Later that night, Scarlett found Snake Eyes alone on the roof. The Christmas lights were still up, the stars in the night sky were the same as on Christmas night… everything was the same, and yet Scarlett knew that she was not the same.

Scarlett quietly drew up alongside Snake Eyes, who looked at her askance.

"Hello, Snake Eyes," Scarlett said softly, reminding herself that this was not the same soul that she had fallen in love with.

"Why are you here?" he signed to her.

"Because I want to see you," Scarlett replied.

"That's great," Snake Eyes sarcastically signed rapidly, "you want to see me, but since your sign language skills stink, you won't be able to understand half of what I'm trying to say to you. Don't you understand that I care for you, and when you don't even take the trouble to listen to me, that hurts me? I would give up my life for you. Do you know that? Does that mean anything to you? Why must you always break my heart?"

Scarlett grabbed Snake Eyes hands to stop him from signing. She knew what he was doing. He was delivering an outpouring of sign language to confuse and mock her for not understanding him.

"Stop that, Snake Eyes, please," Scarlett said, tears forming in her eyes, "You hurt me by saying such things. Of course I know you care for me. Of course I know you would sacrifice your life to save my own. And I'm so grateful to you for it, Snake Eyes. You should always know that it means the world to me."

Snake Eyes looked at Scarlett in amazement.

"You understand me," he signed to her. Scarlett thought she detected a smile beneath Snake Eyes' mask.

"I understand you perfectly," she said, smiling warmly.

"But how is this possible?"

"I did say I was gone for eight months, didn't I?"

"You learned sign language while you were gone for eight months?"

"I learned a lot of things."

"Who was this mysterious person who showed you the meaning of love?"

"He was you," Scarlett said, looking him in the eyes.

Snake Eyes shook his head in confusion.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Snake Eyes, let me try to explain," Scarlett said as they stood together along the railing of the roof and looked to the stars. She gingerly placed her hand on his own.

"There's a world parallel to our own. There's a trillion billion such worlds, just like ours, with people like you and me. I saw one such world, with a man they called Snake Eyes, just like you. Through him, I had a glimpse into what might have been, and what could be… between you and me. And this moment of time was so sweet to me, so wonderful, that I didn't want to let it go. I didn't want to leave, but I did. I found something tremendous, something truly amazing, and it was a treasure I could not keep to myself. I wanted to share it. That's why I came back. So I could share my treasure with you."

Snake Eyes looked at her for a long time. At first he looked at her as if she were out of her mind, but gradually his stance softened. Finally, he lifted his hands to his face. Scarlett stood there, mesmerized, as Snake Eyes removed the mask from his face to reveal a face that was every bit as scarred and broken as the Snake Eyes she once knew.

"Look at me," he signed to her. "I'm all messed up. I'm broken on the outside. I'm broken on the inside. How can a beautiful woman such as you care for a wreck like me?"

"Won't you let me in?" Scarlett said, reaching out to put her hand on Snake Eyes' face. "I could be whatever you want me to be for you. Whatever you need me to be."

Scarlett cupped Snake Eyes' face with her hands. Snake Eyes began to do something she had never seen before. He began to cry. The tears flowed freely from his eyes, wetting the palms of her hands, and his body trembled with the sobs that he could not enunciate in sounds.

"You don't have to be lonely for the rest of your life," Scarlett said tenderly and with feeling. She began crying too. "You don't have to feel like there's no one in this world who cares for you. I could be your one kindred spirit. When you're lost at sea, I could be your beacon, your lighthouse…"

"…your morning star…"

They embraced and held each other for a very long time, until so much time had passed, that they forgot how long they had been standing there beneath the stars.

Somewhere, perhaps under those very same stars, two people, their destinies inextricably intertwined, sat on a hill in the mountains, not far from a humble cabin.

Snake Eyes sat on a hill overlooking an enormous valley, his arm draped around the shoulders of the woman he loved.

"We've been censured and suspended from the Joe team," Scarlett said to Snake Eyes.

"…And I still don't understand why."

"It could have been worse," Snake Eyes signed.

"I lost eight months. That's a big chunk of missing time."

"You've heard the story a hundred times," Snake Eyes signed.

"I was me, yet I was not me," Scarlett said, screwing her eyes at the thought of the paradox. "I started out not loving you, and then I grew to love you."

"And I fell in love with you, all over again," Snake Eyes smiled.

Scarlett leaned in closer to Snake Eyes and rested her head on his chest. Together, they pondered the stars, and the things of the past, the present, the future, and all the wondrously diverging roads that the future promised for them both.


End file.
